Girl uses iPod and Facebook to report assault as it happened

Raymond Ernest Cesmat is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct

While our senators scratch their heads over Facebook privacy and safety worries, a 12-year-old girl from South St. Paul just stepped up to show us adults how to use the technology the right way. She used a WiFi-enabled iPod to access her Facebook page to stave off an attack by her mother's ex-boyfriend.

According to a criminal complaint reported by Fox 9, the girl been left with Raymond Ernest Cesmat by her mother last weekend while she went off to spend the night with a new boyfriend -- no good-parenting awards there, but we digress.

Cesmat reportedly took the girl's cell phone away. Then he came after her.

Cesmat entered the room and tried to take off the girl's pants, but she kicked and screamed for him to leave. When he left the room, the girl grabbed her iPod, logged on to Facebook and found Cesmat's daughter online, sending her a message to call her mom immediately and tell her to come to the house.

But Cesmat allegedly came back into the room. They fought. He left. She pushed a dresser in front of her bedroom door. And then she climbed out the window, ran to a gas station and called her mom's cell phone using a pay phone; the mother was already on her way and called police.

According to the Pioneer Press, the cops found Cesmat at home, scratched and bloodied. He denied the assault and claimed the girl ran away and he got hurt looking for her; the cops said they found blood on the girl's dresser, bedspread and pillow.

His criminal history includes multiple convictions for theft and issuing worthless checks, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a canceled driver's license, according to court records.

He's been charged in Dakota County with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.